Circular knitting machine and the production of fabrics thereon



Feb. 2, 1932. T. H. JONES 1,843,641

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON FiledJuly 23, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR THmmsHE/v YJqmss I777 RNEYS Feb.2, 1932. 'r. H. JONES 1',843,641

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON FiledJuly 23, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 751001.45 Msvrxb/m Even/1w? Feb. 2, 1932.T. H. JONES 1,843,641

CIRCULAR KNI TTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON FiledJuly 23, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet .5

T. H. JONES 1,843,641

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON Feb. 2,1932.

Filed July 23, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 2, 1932. T. H. JONES CIRCULARKNITTIN MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON Filed July 23,1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 a? 6'3 3a 0 (f- Feb. 2, 1932. T. H. JONES CIRCULARKNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON Filed July 23,1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 750M103 Hwgy 75Nss.

T. H. JONES 1,843,641

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON Feb. 2,1932.

, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 25 S m Mm Patented Feb. 2, 1932 orrica-THOMAS HENRY JONES, OF WOOIDTHORPE, ENGLAND 0IRCULAR KNITTING MACHINEANDTIIE PRODUCTION or FABRICS THEREQN..

Application'flled July 28, 1930, Serial- No. 470,176, and in GreatBritain truly 24, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in circular knitting machines andthe production of fabrics thereon, and has reference to that type ofmachine capable of producing selvedged fabric without reciprocation ofthe needle or cam cylinder.

An object of the present invention is to. provide new or improvedmeansfor varying the shape and contour of the, fabric'or fabricsproduced, and since such variation in shape is in the main efl'ectedbythe operation of the needles a further object of the invention residesin the provision ofrnew or improved means for controlling the needles,such con- I trol being particularly directe'd'to the selective movementof the needles into and out ofknitting operation. Another ob'ect of theinventio'n is toproduce in a mac ine of the type, referred to aone=piece stocking, or a plurality of stock-'1, ings, comprising a foothaving a pocket toe and heel and a shaped or fashioned leg, the pocketsfor the toe'andheel being automatically formed on the machine. 1

The principal feature of the invention con-' sists in the provision in amachineo'f thatype" setforth of means for selectively locating andmaintaining for predeterminined periods the needles in either one oftwo. inoperative positions.- When in eitherof the inoperative po-'sitions the needles are knitting cam. The three races or paths oftraverse comprise a knitting race'in which the needles are operated uponby the knitting cams, an inoperative race into which needles are adaptedto'be projected while retaining loops there-. on, and a second inoerative race intowhich needles can be with rawn so that no thread willengage therewith. The needles are selectivelylmoved from the operativerace to an inoperative race and/or vice versa as required .by-means ofelements movable laterally rela-l' tively to said needles, thedisplacement and operation of said needle-moving members beingautomatically effected from the main control drum of the machine. In theemployment of the machine for producing stockings, pocket heel and-toeportions are formed by progressively moving not operated by -.the

"tioning. to raise needles in progression from a lower -.inopera't-ive,race to the knitting posi tion. f'ifFor the purpose ofmorefullysdescribing the nature of this invention referencewill now made tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figfire if'illustrates in elevation a'circular knittingrnachine inaccordance with the present invention. I v Figure2 is a plan view of themachine.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through part 'ofthe machine on AA ofFigure 2.-

. Figure fl is a vertical section through part of the machine on -B-B ofFigure 2.

', Figure 5 is a part vertical section through part of themachine on CCof igure 2. I

Figure 6 is a vertical section through part ofthe machine on DD ofFigure 2.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan online E-E of Figure 1. y

Figure '8 illustrates in elevation displaceable cambits for controllingthe step-by-step motion'of the needle pickers when producing heel andtoe pockets. j

1 Figure 9is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 8. p v

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail view in ele- Vation of suitable 'clawkermechanism through which step-by-step rotation ofthe picker carryingwheels imparted from the cam bits shown' in Figures 8 andfl -saidcl'awker mechanism being also shown in'Figuresj 1 "a'1'id 7. j g

Figure 11 illustrates diagrammatically the needlelpa ms and threeneedleraces'or paths of traverse in connection with each'cam. Figure 12 'showsin sectional plan a needle camwith displaceable'cam element for mov-*ing certain of the needles to the lower inoperative race when required.

Figure 13 is a side-elevational view and Figure 14 a part-sectionalelevation of the means for effecting displacement of the auxiliary camshown in Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a sectional elevation on line FF of Figure 1, looking inthe direction of arrow X.

Figure 16 is a detail view showing one method of operating additionaldeflectors for the thread guides.

Figure 17 shows suitable needles for use in the machine.

Figure 18 shows diagrammatically the areas within which the varioustypes of needles operate.

In one method of carrying out the invention as illustrated in thedrawings same will be described as applied to a circular knittingmachine having a stationary needle cylinder 1, and two revolving camboxes 2, 3 located one above the other and adapted to be driven roundthe cylinder in opposite directions at equal speeds.

Each cam box is provided with a stitch cam 4. As the cam boxes rotate inopposite directions the cams 4 pass each other twice in each revolutionat two diametrically opposed points, and to allow for the passing of thecams the needle cylinder is at said polnts void of needles. Needles arefitted in both halves of the cylinder so as to produce simultaneouslytwo pieces of fabric, but it is to be understood that fabric may beproduced in one half of the machine only.

The needles 5 are provided with two knitting butts 6 spaced one abovethe other, the upper butt being adapted to engage with the .cam 4 of theupper cam box 2 and the lower butt with the cam in the lower box 3, saidneedles being operated by first one cam and then the other, and theopposite rotation of the cams causing the successive operation of theneedles to progress first in one direction and then in the other.

Yarn is fed to the needles by guides 7 carried by segmental members 8which are adapted to travel within a circular channel 9 in the sinkercarrier ring 10 or part associated therewith. Each yarn guide 7 hasfixed therewith a cranked portion 9a depending downwardly on theexterior of thesinker ring, said crank 9a having pivoted at its lowerpart a depending finger 9b which is pivotally displaoeable in a radialdirection. On the cam boxes 2, 3 are radially projecting crank arms 11,1141, (Figs. 5 and 6), the one arm projecting outwardly a short distancefurther than the other. The operation is such that the arm 11 on theupper cam box 2 engages the depending finger 9b and in so doingpropelsthe thread guide around the needle bed until same has passed theneedles on one side of the machine after which said depending taining togroups a,

finger coacts with the inclined face of a fixed deflector 12 whichdeflects said finger out wardly from engagement with the arm 11 andbrings the guide to rest. Immediately afterwards the second crank arm11a on cam box 3 coacts with the depending finger 9b and propels theguide round in an opposite direction across the aforesaid needles untilsaid depending finger comes into contact with an inner bevelled face ofa second deflector 13, which deflector moves the depending fingerradially inwards to its original position. By this means the uide ispropelled to and fro and yarn is fed rst in one direction and then inthe other across the needles. The operation just previously described iscarried out in connection with the thread guide at each side of themachine, the deflectors 12 and 13 being furnished for each guide, and bythis means it will be appreciated that two flat selvedged pieces offabric are simultaneously knitted.

The drive of the two cam boxes in opposite directions at equal speeds iseffected from the drive shaft 14, the lower box being driven throughintermeshing gears 15, 16 and the upper box through intermeshihg bevels17, 18, the bevel 18 being carried by a short vertical shaft having afurther gear 19 which meshes with a circumferential gear 20 associatedwith the upper cam box 2.

At the top of the needle cylinder is mounted a pair of sinker cam rings(Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6), one of said rings 21 being associated with orformed integral with the upper part of the upper needle cam 2 androtates in unison therewith, while the other sinker cam ring 22encircles the ring 21 and is adapted to be rotated in an oppositedirection. The sinkers 23 are mounted in a tricked carrier 10 fixedlysecured above the sinker cam rings, and the arrangement is such that thetwo sinker cams are caused to pass each other at the same position asthe afore-described needle cams i. e. at the parts void of needles.

The one sinker cam ring is, of course, driven in unison with theupperneedle cam 2, the other sinker cam ring 22 being driven from a gear 25on the spindle carrying the aforesaid gear 19 through the intermediaryofgears 26 and 27, (Fig. 1).

As a articular embodiment the machine will be described for thesimultaneous production of two selvedged fabric portions each comprisinga complete stocking blank and each blank consisting of a foot portionembodying a pocket toe and pocket heel and a leg which is shaped orfashioned, and to this end each row of needles in each half of themachine is divided into five groups embodying a central group a, acomparatively small group b on each side of said central group and afurther group 0 on each sideof the said groups b, (Fig. 18), the needlesapperand 0 being differently constructed, that is to say, same havedifferent sized butts for coacting with the stitch" ing to each group bhaving mediumv sized.

butts somewhat longer than the butts on needles 5a and the needles 5cappertainingto each group having full sized butts. Additionally theneedles are provided with lowerextensions 561' having a butt 5d at thelower end adapted to be operated upon by picker elements hereinafterdescribed, while the needles 50 also have a lower extension 501advantageously approximately half the length of'the lower extensions551, but said extension 501 does not terminate in a butt.

The extensions 501 on needles 50 are adapted to be operated upon bylifter elements "as herein described.

are each provided with three needle races 4a, 4b and 4c, each'middlerace 4?) comprising an operative or knitting race, while the upper andlower races 4a, 40 are both inopertive races. The two, central groups ofneedles 5a are continuallymaintained in the knitting position, that 1sto say the butts thereon always traverse the middle cam races 46. Theneedles 5b appertaining to the I groups '5 are provided for producingthe pocket toe and heel portions and the knitting utts thereon areadapted to be moved from the middle or operative races 4b to the upperinoperative races 4a and vice versa during the production of thepockets. The needles 5c appertaining to the outer groups 0 are em ployedfor shaping or widening the leg po-rtions of the stockings and theknitting butts thereon are normally in the lower inoperative races butare adapted to be moved progressively as desired into the operativeraces 45. I

To displace the pocketing needles 5?) into and out of knitting positionas required,

picker elements 28 are-advantageously employed, .(Figs. 1, 5 and 6), abeing provided for each half of the machine. One picker of each pair iscarried by and 59 vertically slidable within an annular worm wheel 29,the lower end of the stem of said picker being maintained by spring 30inengagement with a lifting ring 31. The second picker of said pair ofpickers is carried by v 5 and vertically movable within the sleeveportion 32a of a second worm 32, the lower end of the stem of saidpicker being maintained by anotherrspring 30 upona further lifting ring33 which is secured to or associated with the aforesaid lifting ring 31so as to move in unison therewith.

The pickers 28 of each pair are adapted in operation to be moved step bystep towards and away from each other so as to bring same The two needlecam rings or boxes 2 and 3 I pair of pickers b in succession anddisplace said needles either'downwardly from the upper inoperative raceto the knitting position or upwardly from said knitting position to theinoperative position and to this end the step by step movement of thepickers is effected by gradual rotation in opposite directions of thetwo worm wheels 29, 32. The vertical movement vof the pickers in anupward direction is effected by crank members 34 coacting with anannular flange 35 which is associated with and adapted to move in unisonwith the aforesaid lifting rings 31, 33, said cranks beingrotated inunison with the machine so that the lifting rings with the pickers useand fall once during each cycle or revolution of the machine. Theoperation of the cranks may be effected through a worm 36 andintermeshing gears 37, 37 a and 37 b from the drive shaft 14.

The opposite rotation of the picker-carrying Worm wheels 29, 32 is alsoadvantageously efi'ected to the extent of one needle during eachcomplete cycle of the machine, and means for accomplishing this will nowbe described.

Meshing with each worm wheel 29, 32 is a suitably mounted worm 39, andsecured on the spindle of each worm 39 is a pair of ratchet wheels 40located side by side, the ratchet wheels being located at one end of thespindle of-one worm and at the opposite end of the spindle. of the otherworm as shown-in Figure 7. Associated with the ratchets' 40 of each wormis a pair of clawker arms 41, the clawkers of each-pair being spacedapart one below the other to such an e tent that when the one or upperclawker coacts with a ratchet wheel the other or lower nected toupwardly extending bars 43, the

portions of said bars at the connection to the rods 42 being suitablyinclined as shown in" Figure 1. The upwardly projecting bars 43 arepivoted midway in their lengths at 44 on a fixed pivot and the upper endof each bar is pivoted to. one of a pair of inwardly extending fingers45 guided within a suitably fixed member 46. The inner ends of thefingers 45 are adapted to coact with suitable cam elements 47 (Figs. 8and 9) proecting from the oppositely rotating cam boxes 2 and 3, and thearrangement is such that when a cam'member 47 moves into contact with afinger 45 said finger is pressed radially outwards and through acentrally pivoted bar 43 causes a clawker 41 to move radially inwardsand by its engagement with one of the ratchet wheels 40 rotate the worm39 to an extent sutficient to traverse one of the worm'wheels carryingthe pickers to a distance ofone needle. By suitably spacing the camelements around the cam boxes 2 and 3 the worm wheels 29, 32 are rotatedalternately the teeth of the worm wheels and coacting worms being soshaped as to efiect rotation of said wheels in opposite directions.

llf now the picker elements 28 are being operated to displace theneedles appertaining to groups 6 successively into the upper inoperativerace, the step by step movement of said pickers is so timed as to bringthe cranked portions of said pickers beneath the lower butts 5d on theneedles 5?) at the time when the lifting rings 31 and 33 are beingraised by the aforesaid crank mechanism. llf, however, the needles 5bare being progressively moved from the upper inoperative race to theknitting position the butt engaging portions of the pickers must bemoved into position over the butts 5d of the needles at the time whenthe pickers are being lowered; it bein understood that the downwardmovement 0 the pickers is efiected by the springs 30 and coincides withthe downward movement of the lifting rings 31, 33.

In producing a heel or toe pocket in the stocking fabric, the pocketingneedles 55 when raised to the inoperative position retain the threadloops thereon so that when such needles are again brought down to theknitting position such loops become intermeshed with fresh loops formedon the needles. Therefore it will be appreciated that the upwarddisplacement of the pocketing needles is eifected while the pickers aremoved in one direction, for example away from each other,

and the downward movement is efiected when the traverse of said pickersis reversed, i. e.. brought towards each other. To this end it willbe'seen that when the pickers have been traversed to the required extentin one direction means must be furnished for reversing the rotation ofthe worm wheels 29, 32 and this is accomplished by displacing out ofengagement with the ratchet wheels 40 those clawker arms which have beencoacting therewith and bringing into engagement with said ratchets theother or lower clawker arms which have previously been out ofengagement; it being understood that the ratchet wheels with which theupper v clawker arms engage have teeth which are cut in an oppositemanner to those of the ratchet wheels engaged by the lower clawker arms.

The displacement of the clawkers to reverse the rotation of the wormwheels and picker elements may be eflected by upwardly extending bars 48guided for vertical motion in suitable bearings and each having a pairof lateral pins 49 which, upon vertical displacement of the bars, pressthe clawkers in one direction or the other as required.

Springs 50 serve to retain the clawker arms in engagement with the pins49, and the displacement of bars 48 may be efl'ected and timed by asuitable cam bit 51 on the main control drum 38.

The projecting cam elements 47 (Figs. 8 and 9) on the rotating cam boxare arranged in quadrature, two diametrically opposed elements being inoperation at the same time so that the two worm wheels 29, 32 withpickers are rotated or shogged at each half revolution of the machine.When now the direction of motion of the said worm wheels and pickers isreversed to move the pocketing needles in an opposite direction it willbe understood that the time at which such pickers are to be moved mustbe different from the time at which same are moved when the needlesrequire to be displaced in an o posite direction, therefore means musthe provided whereby that pair of cam elements 47 which function to shogthe pickers in one direction must be thrown out of operation when saidpickers are required to be shogged in the opposite direction and theremaining pair of cam elements which have previously been out ofoperation must be brought into operation.

For this purpose the several cam elements 47 are preferably pivotedmembers normally held by springs 47a in a position where the camportions 47 b will not engage the projecting pins 45, and in order tomove said cam elements to a position for engagement with said pins aradially sliding member 52 is provi ed having two spaced cam rises 53,which sliding member when moving in one direction against the influenceof a spring 54 brings one of said cam rises to a position where sameengages with two diametrically opposed pivoted cam elements 47 whichlatter are pivoted to a position wherein the cam portions 47?) thereoncoact with the pins 45. When in this position the remaining twodiametrically opposed cam elements 47 travel freely round withoutcoacting with the pins 45. When, however, the sliding member 52 ispermitted to move radially outwards under the influence of the spring 54the other cam 53 on the slide is brought into a position where same willcoact with the second diametrically opposed pair of pivoted cam elements47, and cause same to be engaged by the pins 45, the first mentionedpivoted cam elements then moving freely around without coacting witheither of said cams 53 and without being engaged by the pins 45. Byarranging the pivoted cam elements 47 in quadrature it will thus be seenthat the shogging of the pickers 28 can be so timed as to bring sameeither into a position over the pocketing needle butts 5d or during thelowering of the pickers, or beneath said butts during the upwardmovement of the pickers. The sliding movement of the cam-bearing member52 against the spring 54 may be effected by the upward thrust of avertically slidable bar 55 from a suitable cam rise on the main drum 38,a roller or truck 56 on the upper end of said bar coacting with thebevelled face on the slide 52. a

The picker members above-described are operated during the production ofthe pocket toe and heel portions of the stocking fabric,

and after producing said pockets the mechanism for traversing saidpickers is suitably blufi'ed or put out of action. One method ofaccomplishing this is by means of a vertically guided sliding bar 57 thelower end of which is adapted at the required times to ride uponsuitable cam rises on the drum 38 so as to raise said bar and by meansof a bevelled upper portion 57a coacting with similarly bevelled orcranked portions at the lower ends of the clawker operating bars 43,press inwardly the clawker carrying spindles 42 so as to forcethezclawkers inwardly beyond the ratchet wheels and draw radiallyoutwards the pins 45 at the upper ends of said bars 43. iInthis waythe'pins 45 are moved to a position wherein none of the pivoted cammembers 47 will coact with same.

When the pocketing needles 5?) are'lifted tory to their'being againlowered into operation so as to permit of the cranked P01131011,

of the pickers subsequently coacting with the upper side of said butts5d to lower the.

needles. To this end a small cam piece 107 is conveniently providedimmediately above the upper cam race 4a in the upper cam box 2, (Fig.11) which cam 107 as the box rotates coacts with the upper knittingbutts on the raised pocketing needles and lowers same to the. extentrequired to be engaged by th pickers.

After the foot portion of the stocking has been produced embodying thetoe and heel pockets'lifter elements 58 are brought into actionprogressively to raise the widening needles 5c appertaining to groups 6so as to move the knitting butts thereon from the lower inoperative camraces 40 to the middle knitting races 4]). thus producing a gradualwidening of the fabric in the leg portion thereof.

A pair of lifting elements 58 is provided on each side of the machine.(Figs. 1. 3 and 4), one element of each pair being fixed to acircumferentiallvtoothed ring 59 and the other element of each pairbeing fixed to a second circumferentially toothed ring 60. accommodatedwithin an annular recess on the first-named ring 59. These-two lifterrings- 59, 60 are mounted upon a sleeve 61 formed as an integral portionof the previously described lifter rings 31.- 33 which are operated bythe cranks 34: the arrangement being such that the toothed rings 59'.v60 carrying the lifter elements 58 are raised and lowered once duringeach revolution of the machine.

It will be understood that to producea gradual widening of the fabricthe elements '58 must be gradually moved further apart,

and to do this intermittent rotation is imparted to the toothed rings59, 60in opposite directions, such rotation taking place immediately,prior to the lifting motion of the rings to raise the needles so as tobring the elements 58 into position beneath the successive needles to beraised.

To impart the requisite intermittent rotation to the rings 59, 60 inopposite directions, a pair of pivoted clawker arms62 are employed,(Fig. 5) said arms being held by a spring 62a in engagement with theratchet teeth on the rings 59, 60, one clawker arm on each ring. The twoclawker arms-are carried by a radially projecting pin 63 guided withina'fixed bracket 64 and pivoted at its outer extremity to the lower endof a contrally pivoted upstanding arm 65 the upper end of said arm beingpivotally connected to a. further pin 66 ,slidably guided ina bearing 67and adapted to coact at its inner extremity with a cam piece 68 securedto and projecting radially outwards from the lower cam box 3. Thus ateach revolution of the cam box 3 the cam member 68 functions to'press'outwardly the pin 66 against suitable spring resistance and indoing so the clawkers 62 operate to rotate the lifter rings 59, 60

in opposite directions to the extent of one needle. The intermittentshogging movement of the lifter elements 58 is timed to take placeimmediately prior to the lifting of the rings 59, 60 carrying saidelements.

The opposite movement of the lifting'elements iscontinued until thedesired width of fabric is attained after which such movement is stoppedby blufling the clawker mechanism operating on the lifter rings andmoving the radialcpin 66 to aposition wherein the cam member 68 will notcoact therewith. This blufling mechanism may embody a travelling chain69 (see Figure 5) which is intermittently traversed through pawl andratchet mechanism 7 0, high links or the like 71 on said chain being atthe required time brought into engagement with the lower end of the arm65 so as to press said end inwardly and draw the needles 5c appertainingto groups -0 are all returned from the operative to the'inop erativeposition so as to move the knitting butts thereon 1nto the lower camraces 40.

This is advantageously accomplished byinwardly so as to cause the longknitting butts on said needles to coact with an under inclined face ofthe cam, thus drawing all of through the intermediary of an upwardlyextending sliding'bar 75 adapted at its lower extremity to coact with asuitable cam rise on said drum, the upper end of said bar 75 havingconnected thereto a vertically guided arm 76 having a cam-faced head 77.This head 77 when the bar 75 is raised comes into the path of a pin 78on a small pivoted arm 79 travelling round with the cam box 3 and causessaid in to rise to a position where same will ri e upon theupper face ofa fixed annular ring 80 located around the lower part of the cam box 3and suitably spaced therefrom. The inner face of the pivoted arm 79 isbevelled or inclined as shown in Figure 14 and said inclined face coactswith the outer extremity of the cam pin 7 3 so that when the arm 79 islifted the inclined face thereof causes the cam pin and cam carriedthereby to be pressed inwardly to the position indicated in dotted linesin Figure 12. It will be understood that the cam is pressed inwardsduring a complete revolution of the cam box 3, after which the pivotedarm 7 9 is lowered by spring 81 and thecam is returned to its normalposition by its spring 74.

In connection with the production of stockings and socks it has beenfound expedient, as previously described, to commence manufacture at thetoe, and it has also been found expedient to incorporate the French typeof foot in which the seam is located centrally ,of the sole.- Tn thistype of foot it will be appreciated that one half of each pocket isknitted on each side of the foot portion, said halves being subsequentlyseamed up to form complete pockets when the fabric of the'foot is foldedand seamed.

In one method of producing this type of foot the two halves of eachpocket may be produced separately in succession, and during theproduction of said pocket halves the needles 5a appertaining tothecentral groups a are prevented from taking thread and knitting. In doingthis the thread guide is caused to have a restricted traverse to and froover a" distance corresponding substantially to that occupied by thepocketing needles at one side of the central group (2 until one half ofthe pocket is produced, after which said guide is caused to traverse toand fro over the group of pocketing needles on the opposite side of saidgroup a, it being understoodthat in the production of each half pocketknittingcom- -mences on'all of themeedles of one group b and saidneedles are successively raised to the inoperaive cam races 4a andsubsequently eeaeer successively lowered to the operative or knittingposition by the action of picker elements such as before-described.Preferably the raising of the needles 5?) commences at that a needlewhich'is' located adjacent to the central group a.

In order to prevent needles 5a of the central group from knitting duringthe production of the pockets each knitting cam at is provided with avertically displaceable cam portion 4d the width of which is onlya-fraction ever of suflicient length to coact with the cam 4 and beoperated thereby even when the small displaceable cam piece id islowered.

The small cam bits 4d are preferably retained in their normal or raisedposition by spring or springs 82. One method of lowering the cam bit 4dappertaining to the lower cam 3 is by providing on said cam bit adepending wire or strip element 83 of crank formation (Figs. 11 and 15)which may be accommodated within a recessed portion of the cam box, acam bar 84 being at the re quired time raised to a position wherein asthe cam box rotates the lower cranked portion of the element 83 coactswith a bevelled end of the cam bar 84 and rides along beneath said bar.In doing this the cam bit 4d is pulled down against the influence of thesprings 82 and the short butt needles 5a traverse along the cam withoutbeing raised at the peak thereof. The cam bars 84: are of suflicientlength to ensure the cam bit M beries a pin 86 (Flg. 15) which projectsthrough an opening in the cam box to the exterior thereof; and in orderto depress this cam bit at the required time a ring member 87 is employed encircling the cambox immediately above the projecting pin 86. Bylowering the ring 87 it will be appreciated that the cam bit ad islowered against the spring resistance and the short butt needles 5a arenot raised by-the stitch cam to take thread.

The depression of the ring 87 may be effected by providing said ringwith radially xt nding-arms 88 at diametrically opposed positions, (Fig.1 said arms having sleeve portions 89 encircling suitable fixed pillars90 the outer extremities 88a of said arms 88 being operated upon byshort centrally pivoted levers 91 which are operated through verticallyguided rods 92 from the main cam drum of the machine or a subsidiarydrum or drum as through suitable lever mechanism.

When the rods 92 are raised the levers 91 press downwards theextremities 88a of the flange 98, the deflectors 94, 95 of each pairbeing connected by a cross piece 99 carrying a cam plate 100. Springs101 normally serve to retain the deflectors in a retracted position, i.e. out of the path of the thread guiding depending fi'ngers 9b, and whenit is desired that the traverse of the guides be restricted to adistance equal or approximately equal to that occupied by one of thepocketing needle groups I), said deflectors are depressed in wardly bythe vertical displacement of a rod 102 having a roller or truck 103 atits upper and coacting with the cam plate 100.

Referring to Figure 2 wherein the subsidiary deflectors 94, 95 are shownas being projected inwardly to their operative position it will'be seenthat the thread guides 7 are only capable of reciprocatory motionbetweenafixed deflector'1-3 and'a movable deflector 95, on, one side ofthe machine and between a'flxeddeflector 12 and a movable deector 94 onthe'opposite side of the machine,

and whenso disposed pocket halves are produced in the fabric at the oneside edge thereof. If now'the subsidiary deflectors are withdrawn topermit of the guides traversing past same and are immediately again prOected,

the guides will then have reciprocatory motion on the other side of saidsubsidiary deflectors and pocket halves will be produced at theoppositeside edge of the fabric.

' The movement of the subsidiary deflectors may be timed and controlledfrom cam pieces 104 on a rotating drum 105, a lever member 106 beingadapted to coact with said. cam pieces and said lever being pivotally orotherwise connected to the aforesaid vertically displaceable rod 102.Other means may, however, be provided for operating the subsidiarydeflectors. For example said deflectors may be electrically operatedthrough the intermediary of suitable solenoids which are energized andde-energized at the required times.

In .a modified method of producing a French foot with pocket portionsfor the heel and toe, the before-described subsidiary deflectors may bedispensed with, in which case the two halves of each pocket would besimultaneously produced as the thread guides 7 would traverse the fullwidth of the fabric at each course. In such arrangement however thecentral group of needles a would be rendered inoperative during theproduction of the pockets as before-described.

In the arrangement where the halvs of each pocket are produced insuccession means are advantageously incorporated whereby the pickerelements 28 appertaining to the pocketing needles on the one side ofeach central group of needles a are bluffed, i. e. retained inoperativeuntil the pickers appertaining to the pocketing needles on the oppositeside of said central group have completed their operation, when saidlast-named pickers are blufled and the inoperative pickers brought intooperation. To accomplish this all that is necessary is to incorporatemeans whereby the-clawkers 41 functioningto transmit step by stepmotionto one of the picker carrying worm wheels 29- or 32 are maintainedinoperative while theclawkers appertaining to the other picker carryingworm wheel operate and vice "ersa.

. In the embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein the camsthat operate the needles are adapted for continuous rotation relative tothe needle-carrying means. It is essential to the operation of themachine in carrying out the present invention, that one of the saidpartsthe needle-carrying means or the cams for operating theneedlesshould be rotatable relative to the other. But it is largelyimmaterial which be the rotatable one'and which one maintainedstationary as it is well known in this art that arrangements forefi'ecting the rotation I of either may be embodied in the machine ascircumstances 'or' preferences may suggest. That embodiment of theinvention which is considered to be the most practical is illustratedbut it is not intended thereby to limit the invention to the specificshowing in this case, nor beyond the scope' of the claimswherein theinvention is stated.

I claim 1. In a circular knitting machine for pro- 1 cams, one ofwhichis rotatable relative to the other. of means for continuously rotatingone of the said parts and means for selectively locating and maintainingfor pre determined periods the needles in either of two inoperativepositions where same are unaffected by the knitting cams.

2. In a circular knitting machine adapted for the production ofselvedged fabric the combination of needle-carrying means, knittingcams, one of these being rotatable relative to the other, and meanswhereby continuous rotation is imparted to one of the said parts, theneedle cams being formed with three races or paths of traverse for theneedles, said races comprising-a normal knitting race in which theneedles are operated upon by the knitting cams, an inoperative race intowhich needles are adapted to be pro j ected without removal of threadloops therefrom and a second inoperative race into which needles areadapted to be withdrawn so that no thread will engage therewith.

3. In a circular knittin machine adapted for the production of se vedgedfabric the combination with needle-carrying means and knitting cams,onerotatable relative to the other, of picker elements, said pickerelements operating to move selected of the needles upwardly out of theknitting position Without casting thread loops from their stems, saidpicker elements also operating to return said selected needles to theknitting position, and lifter elements operating to raise selected ofothers of the needles from a lower inoperative position to the knittingposition.

4. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 3 and in which thepicker elements function to produce pocket or bag portions in theknitted fabric and the lifter elements function to vary the width of theknitted fabric.

5. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, anon-rotating needle cylinder, a pair of needle cam boxes encircling saidcylinder and adapted for continuous rotation in opposite directions atequal speeds, the needles being operable by the cams of each box, threadfeeding means, needle picker elements, means for imparting verticalreciprocation to said pickers, means for intermittently traversing thepickers circumferentially of the machine, said pickers operating atpredetermined intervals to displace selected needles with thread loopsthere on to a position with their knitting butts above the path of theknitting cams and'subsequently to return same to the knitting position,needle lifter elements, means for intermittently traversing said lifterscircum ferentially of the machine, and said lifters functioning atpredetermined intervals to unease-ear operate upon needles located attheouter side of each picker-operated group.

7 A circular knitting machine comprising in combination a non-rotatingneedle cylinder, two needle cam boxes rotating in opposite directionsabout said cylinder at equal speeds, theneedles being operable by thecams of each box, three types of needles employed in the machine, threadfeeding means, needle picker elements, means for imparting verticalreciprocation to said pickers, means for intermittently traversing thepickers circumferentially of the machine, said pickers operating on oneof the three types of needles employed in the machine so as to displacesame with thread loops thereon out of the knitting position andsubsequently return same to the knitting position, needle lifterelements, means for intermittently traversing said lifterscircumferentially of the machine, said lifters operating on a second ofthe three types of needles to raise same from an inoperative to ahitting position,

and the third of the three types of needles being unaffected by both theneedle pickers and llfters.

8. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 5 and having inaddition a pair of annular members within which the needle pickerelements are vertically slidable, means for rotating said annularmembers step by step in opposite directions and means for reversing therotary motion of the annular picker carriers.

9. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 5 and including crankmechanism operating to impart to the picker elements a rising andfalling motion once during each cycle of the machine.

10. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 5 and including apair of annular members carrying the needle lifter elements, means forimparting simultaneous and opposite rotation to said lifter carriersandcrank mechanism for imparting rising and falling motion to said liftercarriers.

11. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, anon-rotating needle cylinder, a pair of needle cam boxes encircling saidcylinder, means for rotating said cam boxes continuously in oppositedirections at equal speeds, the cams of each box operating upon theneedles, thread feeding means, needle picker elements, a pair of annularpicker carriers within which said pickers are vertically slidable, meansfor rotating said picker carriers step by step in opposite directrons,means for reversing said rotary motron of the picker carriers atpredetermined ntervals, crank mechanism for imparting rismg and fallingmotion to the picker elements slidable in said annular carriers, saidpickers operating at predetermined intervals to displace selectedneedles with thread loops butts above the path of the lmitting cams theinfiuenceof springs and being adapted to and subsequently to return saidneedles to the knittin position, needle lifter elements a pair 0 annularcarriers for said lifters, means for intermittently rotating saidcarriers with lifters simultaneously in opposite directions about themachine, crank mechanism for imparting to the annular carriers for theneedle lifter elements a rising and falling motion once during eachcycle of the machine, said crank mechanism being the same as that whichimparts vertical reciprocation to the needle picker elements,

said lifters functioning at dpredetermined in-.

tervals to raise selected nee es into a knitting position from aposition wherein their knitting butts are below the path of the knittingcams, and means for automatically discontinuin the intermittent rotarymotion imparte to the picker carriers and the lifter carriers atpredetermined times during the operation of the machine.

12. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 11 and in which thepicker carriers are encircled by worm wheels having coacting worms whichare operatedby pawl and ratchet devices to impart intermittent rotationto the picker carriers.

13. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 11 and in which thepicker carrying members are intermittently rotated in oppositedirections through lever mechanism from cam elements which projectradially from and travel round with one of boxes.

14. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 11 and includingfour radially projecting pivoted cam elements on one of the rotating camboxes spaced at intervals of 90, two diametrically opposed pivoted camelements being operable at one time inter mittently to operate pawl andratchet'mechanism which through the intermediary of worms and wormwheels efl'ects rotation of the annular picker carriers in oppositedirec-" tions, the remaining two diametrically opposed pivoted camelements operating when the direction of rotation of the picker carriersrequires to be reversed, and the selection for operation of eitherofqthediametrically opposedpair of cam elements being elfected by displacementof a cam member into and out of the track of said cam elements.

15. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 11 and including acam member slidablydisplaceable against spring influence from a cam drumthrou h the intermediary of vertically displacea 1e rodor levermechanism,: said slidable cam being -movable into and out of the'trackof either of. two diametrically opposed pairs of pivoted cam 816mmprojecting radially from and rotating with one of the machine cam boxes,said radially projecting cam elements being movable on their pivotsagainst the needle cam coact with fingers projecting radially inwardsfrom pivoted lever members so as to operate pawl and ratchet mechanismassociated with said levers, said pawl and ratchet mechanism beingadapted to operate worms coacting with worm wheels encircling theannular picker carriers so as to effect vsimultaneous and oppositerotation of said picker carriers, the direction of rotation of saidcarriers being determined by the location of the first named slidablecam member coacting with the pivoted cam elements.

16, A circular knitting machine comprising in combination a non-rotatingneedle 0 linder, a pairofneedle cam boxes, means or rotating said camboxes continuously in opposite directions, the needles being operated bythe cams of each box, thread feeding means, needle picker elements, apair of an- 'nular picker carriers within which the pickers arevertically slidable, worm wheels encircling said carriers, wormscoacting with said worm wheels, clawker mechanism associated withratchets on said worms and operating to rotate the picker carriers stepby step in opposite directions, said cawkers being operated throughlever mechanism from radially projecting cam elements travelling roundwith one of the cam boxes, means operable from a cam drum for reversingthe rotary motion of the-picker carriers at predetermined intervals,crank mechanism for imparting rising and falling motion to the pickerele- 'ments, said pickers operating at predetermined intervals todisplace selected needles stepby step in opposite directions, crankmechanism for imparting a rising and falling motion to theliftercarriers, said crank mechanism being the same as that whichimparts verticalmotion to the needle pickers, the needle liftersfunctioning at predetermined intervals to raise selected needles from alower inoperative position intoa knitting position, means for bluffingthe rotary motion of the picker carriers and lifter carriers atpredetermined times and .a running-down cam -which is radially projectedinto one of the cam boxes to coact with butts on the needles operated bythe lifter elements so as 'to return said needles to the. inoperativeposition.

\ 17. A circular knitting machineas claimed in claim 16 and in which themovement to the il neeaeer operative position of the running-down cam iseffected by pivotal displacement against 1 spring resistance of apivoted arm havin a bevelled face which coacts with a bevel ed 5 portionof a pin carrying said running-down cam, the pivotal displacement ofsaid pivoted v arm being eiiected from a cam drum and the saidrunning-down cam being maintained in the operative position, i. e.projected into the m cam box. during one complete revolution of ,themachine;

l8. The production on a circular knitting machine without reciprocationof the needle carrier or knitting cams of one or more stockme ing blankshaving selvedged edges wherein pocket portions are formed for the heeland toe by progressively lifting to an upper inoperative position bymeans of picker elements a group of needles having thread loops thereonand subsequentl progressively lowering said needles with oops to theknitting position by the same pickers, a shaped stocking leg portionbeing subsequently knitted by rogressively raising needles from a lowerinoperative position to a knitting position through the intermediary ofneedle lifter elements.

19. A circular knittin machine adapted for the production of stoc 'ngblanks having to selvedged edges wherein pocket portions are formed forthe heel and toe, each'pocket being composed of two half pockets knittedin succession, one on one side and the other at the opposite side of thewidth of the foot portion, each half pockeg being produced byprogressively lifting to an upper inoperative position the groups ofneedles having thread oops thereon and subsequently progressivelylowering said needles to the knitting posi- V ve0 tion, thread feedingmeans, means for reciprocating said thread feeding means, deflectormembers for said thread feeding means and means whereby said deflectormembers are automatically projected to aposition for limt5 iting thetraverse of the thread feeding means to a distance approximately equalto the ,len h of that part of the needle bed occupie by the group ofneedles required for producing each half pocket.' I 20. A circularknitting machine as claimed in claim 19 with this addition that thoseneedles which are located between the needle groups employed for theroduction of the pocket portions are provi ed with knitting 5 buttswhich are shorter than those of the remaining needles, and each knittingcam is provided at its peak with a vertically displaceable portion whichis normally retained raised by spring means and automatically @U loweredduring the production of the pocket portions so as to permit of theshort butt needles traversing the knitting cams without being raisedthereby to take thread and clear their loops. J

. I THOMAS HENRY JONES

